Vaccine rollout expansion worries those 65 and older still waiting for first dose

Come Monday, another 2 million people will be eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine in Florida. For seniors trying to get their shot since December, the news isn’t received with a warm welcome.

Those eligible and loved ones of those eligible shared the continued frustrations the vaccine sign-up process poses on their daily lives. We also spoke to someone who understands those struggles and is doing what he can to help Florida seniors secure vaccine appointments.

“They’ve been frustrated with trying from the very beginning,” David Barbour said.

Barbour knows those seniors and knows they feel alone and helpless, so he’s taken it upon himself to help them make appointments.

“If we know them, we can help them,” Barbour said. “But there’s a lot of people out there that don’t have any kind of a network to work off of.”

Gov. Ron DeSantis said publicly Floridians 55 and up will be eligible for the vaccine relatively soon and all adults in April.

The eligibility expansions do help vulnerable people such as Mary Beth Adams.

“I’m Type 1 diabetic,” Adams said. “And we’re three to four times more likely to have severe complications from COVID-19 or death.”

She’s tried just as many times a day to make an appointment to get the shot.

“I think it’s ridiculous that you have to fight to get a spot for a vaccine,” Adams said.

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